What are my responsibilities as a landlord during the COVID-19 pandemic?

As we’ve seen, everyone in Australia has been affected by COVID-19 in some way.

It’s not exactly a responsibility, however my advice to all landlords is to check with your property manager on the financial position of your tenants.

Also, if COVID-19 has impacted your income, then let your property manager know. With many of the government financial support measures to date focused on protecting tenants, landlords have, to an extent, become the silent victims of the virus. At Raine & Horne, we’ve always made it our business to look after you, and your property manager is available to talk to you about any financial concerns you have and to advocate on your behalf.

As always, it’s your responsibility to make sure the property is safe, especially with tenants spending more time at home. At the same time, if your tenant requests a repair through your property manager, make sure you get onto the request fast. With more tenants at home in isolation, there’s no escaping they’ll have more time to notice issues that need repairs or replacing.

If you’re unsure about how the emergency measures in your state or territory affect your investment property, make it your responsibility to talk to your Raine & Horne Property Manager. The measures are moveable feasts and vary depending on the state or territory where you live. Also, be mindful the emergency measures affecting periodical inspections and open homes have an end date. The silver lining, therefore, is that the investment property market will return to normal hopefully by the start of 2021 for every state and territory.

Finally, if you don’t have landlord cover, the insurers have closed the doors to new business. But as soon as the insurance companies start touting for new clients, be sure to get this cover as soon as you can to help protect yourself and your asset.